Book Review: “The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh - Memoirs of an American Diplomat”.

by Farah Ghuznavi

A new publication not to be missed is the recent book by Archer K. Blood, the former head of the U.S. mission in Bangladesh (or East Pakistan, as it was then known). As the thirty year rule means that US State Department documents pertaining to 1971 have recently been de-classified, Blood has written a gripping eye witness account of the events of that turbulent time. The title of the book is “The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh - Memoirs of an American Diplomat”. The book is priced at Tk. 450, and is available at Aranya (60 Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani) and other bookstores.

Although you can skim over some sections, overall the book makes fascinating reading for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it gives a flavour of what it was like to live through those very intense and dangerous times, and it works very well as an eye-witness account. As the narrative develops, you sense the increasing desperation felt by those in Dhaka at the time, as the full scale of the atrocities carried out by the Pakistani Army became apparent. The fact that the book is written by an outsider, and an American diplomat at that, adds a unique perspective to events that may be familiar to some.

Secondly, Blood’s account (supported by the official documents) makes it clear that not only he, but a number of those working in the Dhaka mission, really did their utmost to convince Washington of what was really happening on the ground. Why they were ignored/overruled also makes interesting reading, as the strategic priorities of the U.S. administration become apparent. It is an unusual opportunity to look at a snapshot from history, and for anyone interested in the history and culture of Bangladesh, or the intricacies of international politics (as well as those who would just like some reassurance that at least some human beings remain true to their principles even when it comes to the crunch), I strongly recommend this book.